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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22762327">Jake Peralta’s Big Secret</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesunlight/pseuds/rosesunlight'>rosesunlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gina is a good Aunt, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Shameless (US), Jake Peralta is a Dad, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Protective Jake Peralta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:00:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22762327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesunlight/pseuds/rosesunlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>”I was twenty five when I was given Fiona! Mom ran off, dad was drinking himself to death, and four years later I’m given Jackson! Two years later, Freddie, who I named, because mom had just died! Dead mom, a dad who’d signed over his parental rights to the state and thirty bucks to my name! What was I gonna do, put them in care? I’ve raised them, and I’ve done a damn good job. I’m their dad, not that sack of shit!”</p><p>Jake has a secret life, and to avoid the pity he hated receiving, he must keep it secret.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jake Peralta &amp; Amy Santiago, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>365</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Mornings with the Peralta’s</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This AU is heavily based on Shameless (US) because that show is so damn good! </p><p>Remember to leave kudos and comment!</p><p>Love, Jamie xx</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake runs through his morning routine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jake awoke to the blaring of his alarm, throwing his fist against the piece of plastic until it stopped screaming at him. Scrunching his eyes and rubbing his face, he shot out of bed and threw an old shirt over his boxers.</p><p>The next room over was still silent, so he knocked on the door once before entering.</p><p>“7:15, monkeys!” He said, scratching his back as the two bodies in that small room finally stirred, waking up and throwing themselves out of bed.</p><p>Jake had never been a natural cook, but even he admitted that his pancakes hit differently on a early Monday morning. Soon enough, when he started making them, he heard the patter of feet against the hard floor.</p><p>“It’s my turn in the shower first!” He heard a boys voice say, pushing another person out of the way.</p><p>“You went first yesterday!” The girl protested, before the door slammed on her face “dick!” She cried out after hitting the door, and Jake then peered out from the kitchen.</p><p>“Fiona! Watch your mouth!”</p><p>Fiona obviously noted her mistake “Sorry, Jake, but he-!”</p><p>“No ‘buts’ unless it’s yours in this seat! I got some fresh pan-a-cak-s...ha, French-they’re going once...” He mispronounced, hearing the girl round the corner, her bright grin present.</p><p>Fiona was the oldest, and the apple of his eye: her brown curls matched his, her big brown eyes too, but there was something so much cuter about her button nose and freckles that made his heart melt.</p><p>“I’ve got a trip coming up, can you sign?” She asked him, bringing a crumpled piece of paper from behind her back. Jake read the paper carefully, sighing loudly.</p><p>“Aquarium?” He asked, and she eagerly nodded as he grabbed a pen and flicked his signature on it “why’d you need ten dollars-do they pay extra to let you see all the fish?” He quipped, before rooting around in his mostly empty wallet.</p><p>“Gift shop and food; do you have enough? I can take on another babysitting gig to pay for it-”</p><p>Jake shook his head “no! No, it’s fine, I’ll just, uh, dig into the rainy day fund” he said, taking out the cookie jar they hid their squirrel fund in. He forked out ten dollars and placed it on the table.</p><p>“Are you sure? What about the bills?”</p><p>Jake made a noise as if to brush her off “bills schmills! I can pay it a few days late, it’s what I always do,” he flips the pancake onto her plate as she finishes the first “you’re twelve, stop worrying about bills! I didn’t know what they were until I was 27”</p><p>“That’s troubling”</p><p>“Shut up and eat your ‘cakes” he said, pointing the spatula he’d been using at her before walking back to his own room.</p><p>The crib next to his bed held his very own pride and joy. A beautiful baby boy with a shock of blonde hair and the signature Peralta brown eyes. He couldn’t help but coo the toddler as he woke up, kicking his legs about.</p><p>“Well, hello, Fredster!” He said, picking the child up and placing him on his hip, bouncing him up and down with a large grin on his face. He had to get Freddie and himself changed, he knew that, but he loved just watching the boy cozily nestle into his chest. “C’mon, buddy, up and at ‘em.” He said, taking him to the potty and then to change his clothes.</p><p>A text came through on his phone when he’d just finished, and looking down, he let out a smile unconsciously, one that spread across his face like an infection: but a good one, not a violent infection.</p><p>Santiago:<br/>
Hope you know we have motorcade duty!</p><p>Jake:<br/>
Nope, thankz Amy</p><p>He wrote back, followed by a tirade of emojis. He wormed his way to the closet and threw on the clothes they were expected to wear for motorcade duty, along with his badge that sat on his bedside table. </p><p>He rounded the corner to the kitchen where Jackson was sat, his straight brown hair long and untamed, blue eyes closed as he ate. </p><p>“Fi in the shower?” He asked the six year old, who nodded silently with a mouthful of pancake. “You know if she’s done the lunches?” He asked, setting Freddie down in his high chair and rooting around for some of his food.</p><p>Jackson finally gulped down his mouthful “she always does, top shelf in the fridge” he said, smiling widely. He hadn’t been looking where he was going, and dolloped a helping of syrup onto his shirt. Jake noticed, pinching his nose and forcefully taking the shirt off him.</p><p>“Go change!” He ordered</p><p>“But Dad-“ the boy argued</p><p>Jake shook his head “you’re not going to school in a stained shirt again, your teacher will think I’m not cleaning you”</p><p>Fiona walked through in her outfit, backpacks in hand “is Aunt Gina taking us today? You’re not in civvies” she took note of her brothers appearance.</p><p>“No, I should have time to drive you; she might have to take Freddie, though. Motorcade duty, I’ve got a president to protect.” He said, kissing her on the forehead as she reached on her tippy toes for the lunches, stuffing them into their separate bags.</p><p>“Ok. When will you get home?”</p><p>“When does after school club end?”</p><p>“Uhh...five?”</p><p>Jake nodded; his shift on motorcade standby should end by then “I’ll be back by then.” Once Freddie was changed and fed, Fiona had her money for the trip and Jackson had changed, Gina burst through the door.</p><p>“Who’s ready for some Aunt Gina time?” She called out, a fresh two cups of coffee and two hot chocolates under her arm. Jake nodded his appreciation before taking a gulp of the liquid.</p><p>Fiona came running at her with full force “Aunt Gina,” she cried “hot chocolate?”</p><p>Gina nodded “only the best a crisp dollar can buy, girl!” She handed them out to Fiona and Jackson, before ushering them out the door with Freddie.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Motorcade Duty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The gang tackle the trivial motorcade duty while Jake gets an alarming text</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I got a few really positive comments on the first chapter; I’m so glad I’ve entered such a positive community! I got so much motivation that I wrote the next chapter!</p><p>Make sure to leave a comment and kudos!</p><p>Love, Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Jake arrived at the precinct, he was fully aware that the normal motorcade procedures were being followed. Sarge and Holt were waiting in the briefing room, as were the rest of the squad. He rushed in, taking his normal seat by Santiago with a small smile. </p><p>Holt looked at him, then at his watch “Peralta, you’re fifteen minutes late!”</p><p>Jake couldn’t tell him that Freddie was reluctant to be left with Gina, or that Fiona had left her paper mâchée of Independence Day at home, so he thought up an excuse. </p><p>“Sorry, sir, angry neighbour showed up at my place, said Die Hard was playing too loud which is a sin in itself, I mean, maybe the last one but c’mon! John McClane tracking down a hacker?!”</p><p>The briefing room was silent “Peralta, take a seat,” Holt demanded in his lowly voice “As I was saying, the motorcade detail has been increased due to the assassination of the countries head of state. If the president also falls victim while in our hands, their whole government could collapse. Also, a reminder that while I am gone at One Police Plaza, Sargent Jeffords will be in charge. Dismissed.”</p><p>Jake sucked in a breath of air through his clamped teeth. “Yeah, I chose the wrong time to talk about Die Hard, didn’t I?”</p><p>“Just a little bit” Amy winced, before straightening her pant leg and strutting off to their shared desk. Jake couldn’t help but follow “Oh, hey, did your CI say anything about the Bolton Street case?”</p><p>Jake snorted, even though he knew he shouldn’t have “I thought we renamed that case ‘Game of Thorns: The Red Wedding’”</p><p>Amy looked up from her paperwork and sighed “when did I agree to that?”</p><p>“C’mon, Santiago! Because it was a wedding and the victim was found stabbed with thorns?”</p><p>“That doesn’t answer my question, oh great professional one.”</p><p>Terry then perked up from behind his desk, where his glasses were perched on his nose, the train trailing back behind his stocky neck “Will you two stop being dumb? I have two kids and a pregnant wife, I don’t need my work babies acting up too.”</p><p>Boyle popped up from his desk with a keen smile “Ooh, work daddy’s gonna put them on time out!”</p><p>Before Terry could retaliate with a scathing comment, Gina burst through the elevator doors, hoping to get to her seat as quick as possible while also giving a direct nod to Jake. Freddie was at daycare, that told him. He’d spent at least a year trying to find the money to get into a good daycare, and now, the kid was finally at a great one, and Jake didn’t have to ask one of his neighbours to look in on him when Jake didn’t have time to in between shifts.</p><p>“Gina, where are you coming from so late?” Amy asked in her cheery voice, but Jake’s heart skipped a beat, like it always did.</p><p>Gina’s eyes didn’t so much as widen a tiny bit; Jake wished he could lie as effortlessly as Gina “Had a late night; one of my followers has been in a crisis! She just found out Brangelina broke it off!”</p><p>Rosa rolled her eyes “Oh, so no big deal, then”</p><p>Jake let out a sigh of relief as Gina let out a gasp and began lecturing a no longer listening Rosa about how wrong she was. He continued with his work, cracking jokes and sending some emails he needed to finish up on. There was a collective shared disappointment as a group that they wouldn’t be able to play the jimmy jab games like they would normally, but soon they’d get over it. Scully and Hitchcock were way into their afternoon nap when Jake got the text from Fiona.</p><p>Fiona was allowed her own phone. They’d scraped together some money, made overtime, babysat more to get her a small flip phone, but they’d agreed that it was useful for her to be able to contact her brother if anything were to happen. It seemed like today was that day.</p><p>Fiona:<br/>
Roger’s at our school</p><p>Jake suddenly needed air, and a space to vomit, and water. He didn’t know in what order yet, but guessed all at once would be best. Jake hadn’t seen his dad officially since the day Roger tried to get custody of the kids; the day all four of them moved far away, and he adopted all three of them. Amy took not of his change, the grave look on his face, and the nibbling of his lip. </p><p>“Jake?” Her voice was soft, it reminded him of when Fiona got nightmares, or when Jackson had accidentally put a hole through the wall “you alright?”</p><p>Jake didn’t reply, he only stood up and made his way to the bathroom, typing out a quick message to Gina; she needed to meet him in the bathroom or he’d use every ounce of power his body had to strangle his estranged dad.</p><p>Gina walked in, looking left and right, checking the stalls before looking at Jake “Oh, B, you look like a dumpster fire”</p><p>“Rodger’s back.”</p><p>This might’ve been the first time Jake had seen his friend shocked “And you’re sure?”</p><p>“Fiona text, he’s hanging out by her school.”</p><p>Gina slapped her hand against her thigh “That settles it; I’ll go pick them up”</p><p>Jake shook his head “No, they need me right now. I’ll go, I’ll tell Sarge-”</p><p>“You’ll tell him what, Jake? Look, I’ve supported you through this whole ‘keeping-the-kids-a-secret thing’, but maybe now’s the best time to tell the truth!”</p><p>“I don’t want pity”</p><p>“Fine. Then go, I’ll tell Terry something, my womanly charm’ll help musk the smell of your pants on fire.”</p><p>Jake let out a small smile before taking off “Thanks Gina, I owe you”</p><p>“Bitch, you have a tab of IOU’s open!” She yelled after him, but it was no use, he was gone, rushed down the stairs and out into the midday breeze of New York.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rounding up the Peraltas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the Next Chapter: Roger Peralta is back in town with a surprising ultimatum for Jake, leaving himself and Gina reeling.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I decided that the angst could wait for one more chapter; for now, we have Fiona and Jake bonding because why not! Enjoy!</p><p>Love, Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He hadn't even told Holt where he was going, not even Amy knew. He was on a mission to protect his family, his kids, everything, so when the elevator door closed and he threw his badge into his pocket so the chain got all tangled, he knew he was no longer a cop; he was a dad, and a good one too.</p><p>He drove at what he could only assume to be just above the speed limit to Fiona's middle school. He was sure taking the kids out of school for half a day wasn't the right play in the long term, but he didn't care: he could only see red.</p><p>He was parked up in the school's parking lot, breathing heavily as he had been the whole drive there. Why now? Why after four years of no contact did he suddenly show up? He was like some kind of tumour no one could cut away from them; he knew they'd never truly be free of him. Fiona hadn't texted him since he assured her he was on the way, and he didn't know if that was good or bad. Nothing felt good, that's for sure. As much as it pained him to part with it, he knew bringing a gun onto her campus wouldn't go down well, and he knew that if he saw Rodger, he'd use it.</p><p>Fiona's school wasn't like his old middle school; his was traditional and had bars over the windows because that was the type of area he grew up in. He never really found out who was being protected by those bars; the outside world from them, or them from the outside world. He was making it sound like Gotham, sure, but it was kind of true. Her school was better because Jake wanted to be better. It had flowerpots on the window, drawings slapped on the windowsill as they waited to dry. The reception area was nice too, as were the people who worked in it.</p><p>"Fiona's dad, here to pick her up, there's been a family emergency." He sounded like Liam Neeson. God, he hated that he was seriously thinking of Liam Neeson at a time like this.</p><p>The receptionist nodded with a smile "I'll get her teacher to bring her down."</p><p>"Thanks so much."</p><p>He didn't want to sit in the rainbow seats they'd placed by the window. He didn't really know what to do if Fiona was even right in knowing that Rodger was back; she was only eight when she saw him last, maybe she was mistaken. He knew it was hopeful thinking, that Fiona knew who her biological dad was even if Jake was to never mention it.</p><p>When Fiona did arrive, Jake sighed a deep breath of relief, like he thought she wouldn't be there when he came to collect her. She was wearing the same clothes she'd walked out the house in, her bright pink top and black flowy skirt, the least expensive trainers that Jake could find, even though she grew out of trainers at an alarming rate these days. It reminded him of how she was growing up before his very eyes. She shared the same worry in her face as him, though, before running into his arms in a bear hug.</p><p>Jake hugged her back, allowed himself to relax even if it was for a few seconds. "Hey, Peanut." He said, stroking her head "You're sure it was him?".</p><p>Fiona looked terrified, she couldn't speak, so she nodded. Jake realised that this was happening, and started walking out the door, clutching her hand, waving to the receptionist, even though he too thought words may fail him at any moment. </p><p>They were finally sat in Jake's beaten down car, the same one he took Amy on a fake date in, where he spent a whole day before removing any trace of kids from his backseats; the sweets they'd left in the side pockets (maybe that was him), the car seats, the strange spray Fiona had brought with her pocket money that now stunk up the apartment, all of it. Fiona was in the front, her special privilege of being the oldest, which always did annoy Jackson.</p><p>"Right, elementary school is like, what? Five minutes away? We'll do that in no time." He assured himself, reaching over to help Fiona with her buckle before doing his, starting the car and going as quickly as he could.</p><p>Until he got stuck in a long, winding blockade of cars, winding away from the main road, the only one to Jackson's school. Damned motorcade. "Cool, cool, cool, what do we do now, Fi?"</p><p>Fiona didn't answer. Instead, had unbuckled and lept out the car. Jake's heart had done the same, and if he wasn't desperate to get his kids, he might've punished her for getting out into oncoming traffic. She did mouth 'trust me' to him, which in no way calmed him down at all. She disappeared into the winding sea of commuters walking down the road, reappearing a few moments later, tugging the disgruntled hand of Jackson back to the car, closing the door with a triumphant smile.</p><p>"You're welcome," She said, not noticing how wide Jake's eyes were, or the wide 'o' shape of his mouth.</p><p>"What the hell, Fiona?!" He had yelled, reaching back to clip Jackson into his seat, groaning when some unknown person starting honking their horn at him to move.</p><p>"It worked, didn't it? Now we can get Freddie!" She retorted, slumping back into her own seat in the front. Jake wanted to be angry at her but found her logic hard to argue against. He shrugged, before starting the car up again and driving to Freddie's school, having to make a few U-Turns to get there.</p><p>Jake grabbed his phone, handing it to the girl in the front seat "Call Kindergarten and put it on speaker, please."</p><p>"Hey Dad," Jackson said, "Did you know that my teacher has a rare disorder which means he has a duckbill?" Jake sighed as Fiona pressed the school, which he had on speed-dial, just in case.</p><p>"When this is all over and I can hear my own thoughts again, we're having a serious talk about your lying, kid." Jake found himself sounding more and more like his mother. God, he missed her; he would give anything to have her back, although, maybe if he could pick and choose, he would have her back without all her drug abuse. Jackson protested the fact he was lying, as he always did, and wouldn't stay quiet when the school started talking.</p><p>"Hey, uh, this is Jake Peralta, Freddie's dad, I'm just calling to say that I'm gonna be picking him up, like, suuuper early."</p><p>"Mr Peralta, there must be a mistake: his grandfather just picked him up."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Finding Freddie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake takes a trip back to his apartment to face his drunken father one more time.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, it’s ya bitch Jamie—sorry I went inactive, I’ve been dealing with some private things but I’m back! It’s my birthday on the 5th March; the big seventeen! So yeah, that’s probably when the next update will be but for now, enjoy the chapter!</p>
<p>Jamie xx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jake had been livid as soon as the words had left the receptionists mouth. He turned instinctive, like a mother bear protecting her cubs.</p>
<p>“What do you mean-you let him leave with my kid?!” He was growling down the phone at this poor receptionist, who sounded equally as terrified.</p>
<p>She stuttered down the phone “he-he showed ID to the woman at the desk, texts from you saying he was to pick up Freddie. Sir, we are so sorry, we’re contacting the police right now!” She promised. Jake knew he should be thankful, but this made a new problem; the precinct would find out if there was an Amber alert for a Freddie Peralta.</p>
<p>“Did he say where they were going?”</p>
<p>“H-home, I think the woman said-yeah, she says home. Do you still want us to call the police?”</p>
<p>Jake paused for a moment. He wanted the SOB gone, for sure, but his appearance made him curious, like it always did.</p>
<p>“No. I’ll handle this. Thanks.” Fiona took the phone off speaker and placed it back in Jakes wallet. He then began to feel his kids eyes burning into him. He realised how young they were when they last saw Roger four years ago, and how they probably remembered little of what they went through by his hand.</p>
<p>“Roger‘s back?” Jackson asked weakly, as if he was scared of the man. Jakes face softened from where it had been a stony and stern expression, looking back in his mirror and smiling before putting his eyes back on the traffic.</p>
<p>“How much do you remember about him, bud?” He asked the boy, who he’d never seen so serious; even when Jake had to come into his school to have a talk about lying, after what they called Charity-gate, where Jackson had said his caregiver had a blood disease—the school then raised money in honour of Jake, only to realise the boy had been making it up. He still smiled smugly through his disciplinary hearing.</p>
<p>“Not much. He bought me tigger” he said, raising the ratty tiger toy he’d truthfully been given by his father. It was just before he left them, and he had placed it carelessly in the child’s lap.</p>
<p>Jakes jaw tightened “Yeah, that’s right bud.” He didn’t have the heart to tell him that the money tigger had been bought from was traced back to a drug deal busted by another cop. He couldn’t tell him that when tigger was lost for a few days, that it was because LAPD wanted it to check for prints. He didn’t tell him that the only reason he had it now is because Jake had stolen it from the evidence lockup and hoped no one would look back when he wormed his way onto the case and solved it.</p>
<p>“But he was gone a lot too.” Jackson added, sitting in silence, waiting for Jake to say the next thing.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? Like the song-there ain’t no mountain high enough!”</p>
<p>Fiona looked at him thoughtfully “Everest is probably high enough.”</p>
<p>“Fi, I’m trying to be cutesy here!” He poked her side, letting out a breathy sigh as they got out his beaten down car and into the stairwell that led to their apartment. He hoped his instincts were right, that Freddie would be alright and unharmed in their home. He couldn’t bring himself to think about the last time Roger was left alone with Jackson.</p>
<p>Roger was in fact there. He hadn’t made it past the door, instead fumbling around with some key that most certainly didn’t work in this apartment. He was haggard and gaunt; sunken and pink. Jake wondered how clean his piss would be if he checked his father right now. His square jaw was set on opening the door, unbeknownst to his own son standing behind him.</p>
<p>Freddie was slumped next to him, content with playing with one of the toys Jake had sent him to school with. He didn’t seem distressed, but his other kids did. Fiona had burrowed behind him, pushing Jackson to do the same, so they grabbed his legs desperately. Jake wasn’t going to deny them his comfort, so ran his hands through their hair equally.</p>
<p>He sucked in a sharp breath, turning to Fiona. “Fiona, go pick up your brother, please.”</p>
<p>Fiona nodded, jumping when Roger span around, staggering to his feet and opening his arms wide. He hated that his daughter flinched, grabbing Freddie off the floor and darting back. Great. Now Freddie was crying up a storm, wailing all because his toy was being guarded by their father.</p>
<p>Roger took all of them in “Jake!” He said, as if only just noticing him “got any money on ya, I blew mine yesterday, you know how it is”</p>
<p>Jakes blood boiled as he brushed past Roger and opened the door. “Guys, go into Fiona’s room for a bit, ok?” Fi’s room was the only one to have a lock on it. “Roger and I are going to have a grown up talk.” Jake’s eyes stayed fixed on Roger.</p>
<p>“I’m an adult!” Jackson protested, and before Jake could retaliate, Fiona had whisked them away.</p>
<p>He only opened his mouth when he heard the door close, and then closed the front door leading to their home, clearly telling him he was not welcome. </p>
<p>“The hell are you doing here?!” Jake whisper-yelled “You steal one of my kids from daycare, you scare Fiona by turning up at her school, and you ask me for money?!”</p>
<p>Roger was drunk. Jake could Tell because he was staggering and swaying in the wind like a trembling leaf. “Bullshit! ‘M their father...I have rights...this is ‘Merica!”</p>
<p>“Double bullshit!” Jake didn’t know why he felt the need to one-up Roger. “You signed over your rights to the state!”</p>
<p>“And now ‘m asking for ‘em back! ‘N you’re gonna let me!”</p>
<p>Jake was becoming standoffish. “You’re not taking my kids, Roger. I adopted them.”</p>
<p>“Technicalities, technicalities! ‘M clean, too,” Jake snored. As clean as a train station urinal. “the courts will eat that up.”</p>
<p>“Why do you want them any way? You’ve exceeded the amount of trauma you can put on at this time, sorry for the inconvenience.” Jake was in his face now, and he knew that if the situation wasn’t calmed, if he didn’t control his emotions, he would act out and take vengeance for half his twenties being spent knee deep in diapers and baby spit.</p>
<p>Roger’s face fell “Because I’m dying,” Jake didn’t know if he cared “liver’s given out-“</p>
<p>“Not surprised, that thing has more mileage than what you’ve used flying to conceive more children.”</p>
<p>“Liver’s given out, need...a new one—kids welfare checks should pay it...” he was slurring more now; Jake could smell his childhood on his breath as he leaned in perhaps too close.</p>
<p>“That money goes towards them.”</p>
<p>“Well ‘m gonna crash on the couch: make me a Bloody Mary for when I wake up?” He commanded. Jake shook his head and blocked the man outside.</p>
<p>“Who said you could come in?” Roger was now glinting with something dark and horrid.</p>
<p>“I did. Either you let me in, let me see my kids and have ‘em back..or I tell your police buddies about what really happened...” Roger lent in close to Jakes ear, so much that it made his skin crawl. “To Jackson, the night of thanksgiving 2012”</p>
<p>Jake froze in his tracks, his dad slapping his face softly, sauntering into the house and plonking himself, like a tree, onto the sofa. He felt hot tears licking at his eyes.</p>
<p>“Better get going on that Bloody Mary.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don’t forget to leave kudos and comment! You guys really do influence where the story goes and how frequently I post!</p>
<p>Love,<br/>Jamie x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Breakfast with Roger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Next: Investigation into what really happened at Jackson’s kindergarten</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey all,<br/>Sorry I’ve been gone, what with my birthday and the sudden coronavirus going around my country, I haven’t been writing as much as I’d like. I have come up with a schedule though! As of today, updates will be every three days!</p><p>See you Wednesday!</p><p>Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jake knocked on the door to their room with less of a smile on his face “7:15, monkeys. Up, c’mon.” He had to force the sheets off of Jackson, who made no noise and remained motionless. Only, when he pulled the covers away, it was a few pillows piled together. He went to Fiona, who had a shock of hair coming out: he was positive his angel was asleep, and Jackson was playing a silly prank. But when he pulled the covers back like he did with Jackson, it was again some pillows with one of her doll’s hair sprouting out of the top of the bed.</p><p>“Fi? Jackson?” He ran into his room, pleased to see Freddie—only, it was a dumb baby doll of Fiona’s, and he began to get hysterical.</p><p>Until the smell hit him: breakfast cooking, bacon, eggs, slightly burnt toast-the smell would stick to everything for years. He rushed into the room, in fear of his apartment burning down, to only find his kids sitting at the table. Roger stood in the middle of it, handing pancakes and more food out.</p><p>“Oh my god! What happened to dry cereal? Where did you get all this?” Jake collected the wrappers, freaking out internally and externally.</p><p>Roger smiled, a towel around his shoulder as if he were a housewife “well, there was some money in the pot up there, and I took some to make my kids a proper breakfast!” Jake pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“You mean...the rainy day fund? For rainy days? Do you see rain?” He pointed out to the clear sky, stressed beyond belief. Roger took a step back.</p><p>“Thought you’d be happy.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, hell, blow all the money I’ve been saving for bills, hey, kids, get dressed into some garbage bags, I’m selling your clothes.”</p><p>“Oh, come on, Jake, it was just 200 bucks!”</p><p>Jake l looked like all the wind had been slapped out of him “two...hundred? You mean, like, most the rent for this month? What, are these famous pigs you’re cooking?”</p><p>Roger changed the subject “why’d you need a rainy day fund any way?”</p><p>“Because every time you’re around, Roger; it’s pouring. Now guys, get ready for school-.” Jake ordered them, waiting for them to be out of earshot before furrowing his brows, leaning in close, too close, to Roger. “Listen, you’ve got some stuff on me, but I’m a cop. I know you took money from us for whatever drug you’re on now, but when I find out what and where, you’ll be going down to china town.”</p><p>Roger just laughed. “That all you got? Jackson’s case in 2012 is still open—would be a shame if I dropped by the precinct. Captain Holt,” Jake’s eyes sparked “right? That’s the homos name?”</p><p>Jake got closer, whispering in a yelled hush, his pointer finger poised “You talk about him like that again and I’ll kill you...I’ll...I’ll kill you.”</p><p>Jake had truthfully never spoken to anyone like that—even the perps he interrogated knew him as a soft, lovable bugs bunny type, but this was a whole new side to him, one he didn’t like much, but did the job unnerving his dad.</p><p>“Did I hit a nerve?” The older man menaced.</p><p>Before they could say more, Fiona and Jackson were out, Freddie holding onto Jackson’s hand timidly “We’re ready to go, dad!” Jackson chirpsed.</p><p>Roger nodded “see you when you get back...” he trailed off, as if he had forgotten his own child’s name. The dirty look he was given in response would make Gina proud.</p><p>“I meant Jake.”</p><p>Jake felt as if he wanted to cry, glaring at his father but at the same time smiling warmly at his kids, walking out the door; he stopped short, however, and addressed his dad.</p><p>“I want you gone when I’m back from work.” He opened his mouth to respond, but Jake shook his head “gone.”</p><p>They were walking to his beat up car, like they always did, except Gina wasn’t here—he’d told her that he was doing all the dropping off, and she pretended to be grateful; in reality he knew she would be disappointed to not see them.</p><p>“Oh shoot! Jackson, you take your meds?”</p><p>“Yeah dad” he said, almost as if he knew exactly what he was going to say. This was one of the first times Jake was disorganised and forgot to place them right by Jackson’s plate, in a neat smiley face. Something had to put the fun in taking meds.</p><p>Fiona looked guilty “he’d already bought everything when I woke up. Sorry Jake.”</p><p>Jake stopped, kneeling down as best as he could with Freddie on his hip. “Hey! None of this is your fault. Stop being a Guilty Gertrude and get in the car,” his statement attracted attention from an unknown neighbor, who he tried to calm “don’t worry; they’re mine-I mean, wait, uh, no-I’m a cop, these are my kids.” But the woman had started running. Jake pressed a palm to his face before driving away.</p><p>When he did arrive at the precinct; late, as usual, he realised how mundane work was. There were his cases; more specifically the Game of Thorns one (Amy had rejected his name for it, so now it had been downgraded to case number 154- 02- 06- 15), but nothing stopped for him. Everyone continued.</p><p>Amy Santiago, for example, was still a pain in his ass. Damn her for being so observant and caring. “Peralta, what the hell?!”</p><p>“Wha-I just got here! How could I possibly have screwed up, wait until I hit my desk and then I can have my first screw up!” He tried to joke, but it sounded more like whining. Amy was compliant though, and waited for him to be seated before yelling a millisecond later.</p><p>“You left in the middle of motorcade duty! You’re lucky we had an officer to cover your ass! I had to finish up case number 154 -02- 06- 15 without you!”</p><p>“Really, who did it?” Jake was shot a look “I mean, i don’t care, whatever, I’ll...look later.”</p><p>“Somethings up with you, and I’m talking friend to friend now: you’re keeping something! Maybe it’s to do with your dad being in town-“</p><p>Jake’s blood froze “what? How did you know that?”</p><p>Amy stilled “you and Gina were speaking really loudly. And you said that Roger was back, I know he’s your dad because you speak about him a lot-“</p><p>“-I have problems, get to the point”</p><p>“But I don’t get why it’s such a big deal!”</p><p>Jakes secret was out the bag, and all he could think of was the three kids he had at home that would be best kept more secret. But this was Amy; he’d been crazy about her for ages, and even though she was with stupid, pilsners Teddy, he still trusted her with his life—more than he could say about Gina.</p><p>Gina was trusted with his life once, after he broke his ankle as a kid in the middle of nowhere; she pointed, laughed, and made him hobble a block to the nearest motorway to signal help.</p><p>Although it must’ve looked unbelievably suspicious, him dragging Amy into an unused interrogation room, he still did it, closing the door behind them with a loud slam. Amy looked afraid.</p><p>“Alright. I’ll guess you’ve unlocked my tragic superhero backstory arc”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you liked it! Make sure to leave kudos and comment; leave guesses at what happened to Jackson in 2012!<br/>Love<br/>Jamie x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Investigating with Boyle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake is selected by Holt to investigate an attempted kidnapping of a child. Three guesses where that search leads him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I’m actually sticking with this update once every three days thing! Schools have officially been cancelled due to Coronavirus, so I should have more time to write as well.</p><p>Stay healthy,<br/>Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Woah.” Amy said, sitting back in the seat Jake had provided after the first few minutes of his story. Well, not story. Story would suggest this was all made up, and Jake hadn’t made it up. This was the most truthful that he had been at work. If he wasn’t stressed, he’d be proud of making Amy Santiago speechless.</p><p>“Yeah.” He said, wrapping a hand around his other one, nervously rubbing his middle finger. “Ok, silence is getting uncomfortable, say something.”</p><p>“I just can’t believe you kept this a secret! I mean-you told everyone Terry was pregnant after like, what, two hours?”</p><p>Jake nodded “yeah, not one of my finest moments, but I didn’t want you guys to pity me or stop inviting me to things like they did at my first precinct.”</p><p>Amy looked at him the exact way he’d expected, and now he was upset and angry and regretting pulling her into this room. But there was something else, like she was pressing for him to go on more.</p><p>“It was just me and my oldest. Back then, mom was still alive, and I was just her brother: she came to live with me, and I was...hopeless. She was five, so I had the temper tantrums and starting school, which meant separation anxiety at said school. Anyway, the school called me, and I told my beat cop friends about it-soon enough, everyone knew, and stopped inviting me out to the bars and nights out, and soon enough even the captain treated me different. I didn’t want that.”</p><p>“Jake...you know no one here would treat you like that, right?”</p><p>“Don’t tell them!”</p><p>“Why not?!”</p><p>“Just...don’t. Please? It’s bad enough that Gina gives me pity for being a single parent, I don’t need any more. ” Jakes face was so soft and insecure that Amy found it hard to resist. She composed herself with a deep sigh and nodded “Thank you” he responded, letting a deep breath out too.</p><p>“I can’t believe we’ve been missing out on responsible Jake, maybe I’d get on with him better” Amy joked, punching his shoulder and opening the door to the interrogation room.</p><p>Jake winced. “Yeah, no, responsible Jake is still a mess: I once saw him put coffee in the kids cereal.” Amy rolled her eyes and walked out the room, as if nothing had ever happened. Jake checked his phone, making sure Fiona was alright, and continued with work.</p><p>“Peralta, I’m putting you on a case. Suspicious man hanging around a school, made a few threats to the secretary. They asked for the child to remain anonymous, but he took a child out of their care under false pretences; the child is now safely back with their guardian, I’m told. Are you up for it?”</p><p>Crap. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap.</p><p>“Uh, yeah, of course, sir, who’s my secondary?” Holt looked around the room, almost scanning his detectives in his mind, looking for the people who had no cases-skipping over Hitchcock and Scully fairly quickly.</p><p>“Take Boyle.”</p><p>Oh damn. Responsible Jake, he said to himself look, buddy, I need you to come out if you’re in there.</p><p>“Surely Doodle! Uhm...come on Boyle, let’s...get on this mystery case...”</p><p>The case was a disaster from start to finish. As soon as they had walked into the familiar reception, Jake had been sweating buckets and praying he’d not have to speak to anyone he knew, or worse, bump into Fiona in the halls, because then he’d have to react and hug her because what kind of a dad would he be if he didn’t?</p><p>So he was talking with the receptionist, trying his hardest to remain neutral and also make sure she didn’t let slip it was in fact his kid she let go.</p><p>“Look, you can either tell me what happened, or we can roll the tapes and find out.” The receptionist was being compliant so far, but fidgeted whenever what happened was brought up.</p><p>“Ok.”</p><p>“Wow, that was fast, alright, tell me what happened.”</p><p>“He came in, asked for the kid, saying he was the grandfather. He showed me texts from the legal guardian, saying he was good to pick him up early.” The receptionist choked up, swallowing something before speaking once more “I told him I couldn’t let him go until his dad showed up, and then...then he slammed down this block of...god knows what. He threatened to put it in my car and call the cops-he knew my registration number! I-I need this job, and no one could see it on the tapes.” Jake leant back in the small chair they’d provided him with. “I mean, I’m a single mom, I really need this job, I can’t go to jail! You know how it is” she looked directly at Jake-Boyle took note.</p><p>Jake could only stutter “uhhh...nope, no idea, anyway, if your story checks out we’ll let you know, but if this goes to trial you’ll be called on as a witness. You might wanna make sure you have some hours saved for the free daycare.”</p><p>The receptionist nodded “thank you Detective Peralta.” Jake hadn’t told her his name.</p><p>This, once again, was noted by Charles, who brought it up when they were driving back to the precinct.</p><p>“Hey, Jake?”</p><p>“Mhm?” Jake was thinking about what to cook for dinner, providing his father had left them in piece.</p><p>“How do you know about free daycare hours? And why did that receptionist assume you knew what she meant, and knew your name?” He was asking these questions at the rate bullets fire, and Jake had to compose himself before sighing.</p><p>“I dunno. Maybe I looked trustworthy and responsible.”</p><p>Charles snorted “Jake, I love you more than anything-“</p><p>“Really? Anything?”</p><p>“But responsible has never been a word I’d use to describe you. Roguishly handsome definitely, but not responsible.”</p><p>Jake sighed, thinking of an excuse would be the best thing, his grip on the seat tightening. “I spent most my childhood in daycares, I know the ins and outs of how it works if you’re a single mom.” He bit his cheek, but Boyle seemed to accept his answer.</p><p>“What about how she knew your name?”</p><p>“I dunno, maybe she read it when I signed in.”</p><p>“What about-“</p><p>“Look, Charles, it’s been a rough few days, could we drop it?” He snapped.</p><p>Charles looked at him for a moment, before wordlessly flicking the CD player on, blasting our Enya loud enough for anyone to hear outside. Jake snorted, but was thankful they weren’t in his car—the Disney CD would be hard to explain.</p><p>“Alright. You off duty now?” Charles asked, looking down to his watch, as Jake copied his movement: he never used to wear watches, but Fiona had bought him one at the school Christmas fete for five dollars, and he could never resist her. He wore it every day, much to Amy’s shock.</p><p>Jake nodded, it was five. “Yeah, man, got a big evening of sitting on the couch and binging Property Brothers.” Charles gave him a look “Amy likes it, and I thought I’d give it a try.”</p><p>“Oh my god, you still like her!” Charles squealed, thankfully keeping his hands on the wheel. Jake rolled his eyes “saying nothing proves me right.”</p><p>“She’s cool, alright?”</p><p>“Excuse me while I continue planning the baby room.” Oh god, not another child he would have to take care of. Jake knee that was selfish, but he’d been taking care of kids half his life, maybe a break would be nice. “Oh, who am I kidding, Amy wouldn’t let anyone else plan-“</p><p>“Ok, becoming serial killer creepy now, bud”</p><p>“I just love it so much!”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>Charles dropped Jake straight at his apartment door; his argument for never being allowed inside was because of how messy it was, but Jake knew his house was filled to the brim with baby clothes and toys. He collapsed for five seconds, waiting for the sound of Charles’ car leaving, to rush to his own car and collect the kids. Roger’s things were still there, and there was suspicious snoring coming from his own room.</p><p>Man, it’s times like this where he wished his life had been made easier.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Remember to leave kudos and comment!</p><p>Jamie x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Saturday Jackson Madness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Saturday Peace is ruined when Jackson acts up, and Roger is still there.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! I'm trash, I know I've missed a few uploads but what with Coronavirus and the new lockdown, it's been stressful, especially for my single mum, who's lost her job because of this. We're pulling through, our three-person family, but please bear with me as uploads might be slow.<br/>Love, Jamie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Daaad!” Jackson’s voice rang through their tiny apartment, and to where Jake was; sitting on the floor of their grimy bathroom, waiting for his youngest child to go potty. He’d tried bribery, tricks, jokes, he even made a bathroom humoured song, which would haunt him every time Jackson would sing it, even though he specifically said not to.</p><p>It was a Saturday, which meant he had no cases, no work he could use as an excuse to get out of socialising with his kids. This, however, meant that Jackson came alive with ridiculous questions, and he wouldn’t hear from Fiona all day, holed up in the kid's room on her phone, texting someone or other even though she’d go over her minutes and text limit.</p><p>Jake sighed “Yeah?” He resigned himself to the fact Freddie was stubborn, and bit his lip. Jackson came traipsing into the bathroom, making the crowed space even less manageable.</p><p>Jackson smiled, his hair flopping into his face. Damn, he needed a haircut. “You know Jesus?”</p><p>“I am aware of his work, why?”</p><p>“If he is all-powerful, then why didn’t he just zap the guys who were putting him on that cross?” Oh, god, they were going to have the religion talk. He didn’t know how to even broach this or the thought that everyone could have their own beliefs. Jake was going down a rabbit hole.<br/>Jake coughed “Well…”</p><p>Fiona came running out of her room and into the bathroom “Dad!”</p><p>“Oh, great, let's make this space more uncomfortable while your brother is peeing.”</p><p>And, queue Jackson, yelling the lewd song Jake had made up “Pee pee pee, poo poo poo, that is what you must do do dooo” And now Jake had to punish him for using said song.</p><p>“Jackson! One more verse and you’ll be going on the naughty step!” This, as Jake suspected, didn’t stop him, no; this spurred on his defiant child to sing the song louder, so he was sure he’d have to make a written apology to the neighbours who surrounded them. Jake had grabbed the child, pushing his way past the other kids, and placing him down on the wooden chair. He sat him down as Jackson’s tears started. “Now, you’re on the step because you didn’t listen.” He’d learnt all of this from watching super nanny the night of the first Fiona meltdown. Jackson only howled louder, so Jake walked away, setting his watch for six minutes, and running to where he had left Freddie unattended.</p><p>“Dad…”</p><p>“Hang on, Fi, gimme a sec…Fredster! You did it, wow! You went,” he changed his tone to a robotic voice “redacted word!”</p><p>“Dad!” Jake turned his attention to Fiona and looked at her. She didn’t look scared, just annoyed, which was a good thing. “Roger’s in your room.”</p><p>Jake’s jaw set “Alright, pumpkin, gimme a second. Take your brother, and whatever you do, don’t let Jackson off the naughty step.” Fiona gave a nod as if it was a military operation, which, to be honest, it was, as Jake set off into his room.</p><p>His room normally was a mess, but this was outrageous, even for him. Clothes were strewn everywhere, diapers across the room, the crib looking like it had been ransacked, which it probably had been. His sheets were dropped off the bed, and in the middle of it, his dad, cradling a beer can like a baby and snoring in his boxers, in Jakes bed. There was no way Jake was taking the couch for the second night in a row, and an even slimmer chance of him staying one more night. He went to walk forward but noted a sea of beer cans blocking his way. So he picked one up and threw it at the unconscious wreck, but he didn’t so much as stir.</p><p>Maybe now Amy knew, he could give up some of his pride and ask for help. It would provide a good chance to see her outside of work, and that meant she could meet the kids; the first one in the precinct, it always had to be her. It would always be her, for him. <br/>Fiona knew about Amy. He would talk about her most often—apart from Boyle, she was the one he spoke about; she didn’t know much about the others, their names were a mystery, too.</p><p>He had to trust she wouldn’t freak out, or call Holt, or a whole Police squad, to help him move his very intoxicated dad. Before he did anything, he tugged his father’s pants on, for some decency.</p><p>The alarm on his watch went off. Groaning, he now had to enter the mess he had left. Jackson was where he had left him, because even the most headstrong of his kids knew the naughty step was a big deal, and the other two were watching cartoons on the old TV. Jackson didn’t look pleased to see him.</p><p>“You ready to say sorry?” Jake asked the kid, bending down to his level. Jackson’s dried tear tracks down his chubby cheeks didn’t make up for the scowl he was wearing.</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“Alright, six more minutes, then.” He knew to a kid, that was like six years. Hell, six minutes was longer than his attention span.</p><p>“Ok!” The child announced, before growing quiet and groggy “sorry.” He muttered.</p><p>Jake wasn’t having that. “Speak up, bud.”</p><p>“Sorry!”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“For not listening and singing the song.” His answers were curt, but he knew he meant it.</p><p>“Ok. Make up?” Jake said, and Jackson fell into his arms, kissing him on the cheek and relaxing against his shoulder “I love you, kiddo.”<br/>Jackson was subdued now, he always was after being told off “Love you too, Dad.” He said, before slinking off to join his siblings on their couch. Jake sighed; he hated being the bad cop, but he had no one else to help him—it was times like this where he missed having a stable family unit around him, but that was stupid. He never had that; dad was taking and dealing drugs, and mom was taking them and coming off her meds every five seconds. He’d give anything for five minutes of parenting advice from her, though. She was never the best, but she was good, he’d give her that.</p><p>Me:<br/>Hey, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t desperate, but I need help getting an unruly drunk man out of my apartment. By the by, its my piece of trash father.</p><p>Amy:<br/>Oh, boy. I’ll be there in 10. This mean I’m meeting the kids? I haven’t prepared a binder with their names yet!</p><p>Me:<br/>Yep, the three crazies are in. I’ll introduce you, but be warned: they’ll test your sanity.</p><p>Me:<br/>Hahahahaha jokez…kinda. Can’t back out now cya byeee.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Uploads every 3 days!<br/>Don't forget to leave comments and kudos!</p><p>Love, Jamie x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Amy meets The Kids</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Amy meets Jake to help get Roger out of his house--although, it would help if Jackson was less...well, himself.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, sorry for the lack of updates; homeschooling is a bitch.<br/>To top it off, my dad has Coronavirus and I'm at high risk because of my low immune system, so me and my siblings can't visit him at his house. It's been around a month since I saw him, so it's bumming me seriously out.</p><p>Keep healthy,<br/>Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jake was in a frenzy when Amy said she'd help. Fiona could tell; her brother-dad, whatever she decided to call him on the day, always had a tell for when he was nervous. He'd wring his hands and thumb his badge, always on his person, whether in his pants pocket or tucked in his waistband. If Fiona was older, maybe she'd realise it was because he liked to think he still had power over whatever situation he was in. Fiona did the same thing; on the nights where they really struggled, and the electric was shut off, she'd take on a very Jake persona, where she'd wring and flap her hands, keeping her stuffed teddy Peter on her at all time. She had him with her now, only his bunny ears were being gnawed on by Freddie as he babbled in semi-coherent sentences.</p><p>"Ok, now, Jackson," Jake turned to face the child, who was still sulkily pouting "I need you to be good, okay, can you do that for me?"</p><p>The boy looked at him, his bottom lip returning to normal "Why?" he asked.</p><p>"Because Amy is coming over. You remember Amy, right? The lady from the stories?" Jackson nodded, grabbing a truck and turning his head so Jake had to reposition himself so Jackson was facing him again. "So can you be on your best behaviour? No rude jokes or lies?"</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Because I say so." Jake bluntly replied.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Because I'm an adult."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Because I was born first."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Well...uhm...because..." Jake wasn't ready to talk about their parents, or how they were all probably conceived on some drug, and he most definitely wasn't about to talk about the birds and bees with his six-year-old.</p><p>"See, you don't have an answer for everything, so why should I listen to you?" Jackson was pushing buttons just for the fun of it, and Jake was falling into the trap. He knew from training, the worst thing you could do when you have someone in custody is entertain them with conversation. Yet, here he was, being walked over by a child. He sighed before standing up, going over to Freddie and checking up on him: he'd been having a nasty bout of teething for the best part of two weeks.</p><p>"Listen, you have to be nice for Amy, because well..." how could he explain how crazy he was for her to his kids?</p><p>Fiona stopped him as he trailed off "Because she's the princess." she bluntly said, before turning to her younger brothers "the one he speaks about at bedtime? The princess who fights the dragon with the prince, and they never have a happy ending because there's always another dragon or witch or Hans Gruber." Fiona explained his nighttime story, which was essentially a PG version of all their cases. He smiled and nodded.</p><p>"Yeah. Also, if you speak one word of the Princess story, there will be ticklish consequences." He said, flexing his fingers and wiggling them at his kids as they laughed at him "Huh? You think this is a joke, Peralta's? Watch this!" He yelled, before grabbing Freddie and tickling him as a squealed.</p><p>"Daddy! 'dop it! We'll be good!" Freddie said in between giggles, before being slung over Jakes shoulder and carried to the kitchen counter, where Jake dropped and took cover.</p><p>His face lit us as Freddie mimicked him, placing a finger on his lips "I have the Fredster! Surrender or face the consequences, Detectives Peralta!" He said, peering over the countertop as his kids froze. Amy was staring at his eyes, smile wider than he thought he'd ever seen it. He bounced up, grabbing Freddie and placing him on his hip, before setting him down. "I surrender! Go watch cartoons." Fiona and Freddie complied, but not Jackson. He ran straight at Amy, almost frighteningly.</p><p>"Dad says we have to be nice because he likes you...like, like, likes you." Jackson spilled out. Jake couldn't act fast enough, picking Jackson up and throwing him down on the sofa</p><p>"Okaaaay, that's enough from you!" Jake said with a nervous laugh. Amy had turned a bright red, before coughing and gesturing to the door she assumed was his bedroom.</p><p>"This where he is?"</p><p>Jake let out a small half-laugh, scratching the back of his head "Oh, yeah, lets...go deal with my emotionally abusive father." He announced to her, although keeping his voice relatively low. Amy nodded sympathetically before walking towards the darkened room, trying not to hear Jackson, who had turned to his sister to ask.</p><p>"Whats ab-oo-sive?" From what she could tell, Fiona pretended as if she couldn't hear him either, keeping her eyes glued on the TV as if the programme about turtles was more interesting than Die Hard.</p><p>Amy had to take a step back; she knew from what she'd heard about his father, that Roger was a heaping mess on top of a garbage fire on top of a landfill, but she had grossly underestimated how bad he could look. He was gurgling to himself through his own spit, almost like a baby, and had the shirt Jake had given him was half on, half off. His glasses were askew and he had several days of stubble built up on his face.</p><p>"Ok, dad, we're putting you on the nearest bus stop and hoping the homeless shelter picks you up...holy, how have you got more alcohol?!" Jake yelled at his father as he discovered a half-empty bottle of vodka in his palm. His dad grumbled something about his cupboards before losing consciousness again. Amy let out a breath she'd been holding, mainly because of the smell.</p><p>"Oh man," She said, tearing her eyes away to face Jake "you never told me it was this bad."</p><p>"Yeah, well, two days ago, I never told you about a lot."</p><p>As if Roger had a bucket of cold water jolted over him, he sat upright in the bed, rubbing his eyes and swinging wildly "You're getting rid of me? No, no! They're my kids!" Amy noted that Jake flinched, before she took actions into her own hands, producing a pair of handcuffs (she'd come straight from work), and tackling the larger man to get his hands behind his back. "Ah! Bastard!" The man cursed out as Amy wrestled him into conformity.</p><p>"Wow, thanks, Ames." Jake said as Amy nodded, jolting the man into a standing positions.</p><p>"Well, one of us had to do something." She cockily smirked, looking at him fondly for a few seconds before averting her eyes "uh...do you wanna get...your kids away from the door?"</p><p>"Oh..." Jake noted, looking past the corridor.</p><p>"Only because, well, I don't want them to think that he's actually getting arrested." She stammered over Rogers own muttering.</p><p>Jake shook his head "Oh, it's...it's not like they haven't seen it before, but...it's best they're out of the way." He said, before raising his voice so the living room could hear him "Monkeys!"</p><p>He waited for a reply "Yeees?" A drawn-out call came from the living room, Fiona, if Amy had memorised her name correctly.</p><p>"Can you go to your room, please?"</p><p>Jacksons voice came out whiny "but dad..."</p><p>Jake's voice became stern, so firm that it actually took Amy by surprise "No, no buts! Get to your room!"</p><p>There was the sound of small feet pattering down the hallway, and a door slamming rather violently. Man, Jake was going to have to deal with stroppy kids all for trying to get Roger out of their lives. Amy nodded and they began to walk Roger out the room, with a lot of protesting from said man. He struggled against Amy, before breaking free and getting in Jakes face, who turned away from his gaze.</p><p>"Hey now! We had a deal!"</p><p>"No, we didn't! You just came into our lives again and cost me a good couple hundred dollars!" Jake rowed back with his dad, and suddenly Amy was in the middle of family drama and was even more compelled to get this guy out.</p><p>Roger snorted "Maybe she'd like to take my official statement about 2012!"</p><p>Jake snapped, and Amy had never seen him so angry-she knew him as the one friend that looked hilarious livid, the one person that no perp would take seriously if he was 'bad cop'. But this was genuinely scary, he was in his dads face, teeth grit and jaw set. "Shut up."</p><p>"I know the case number...I know the name of the main Officer who worked the case, the fact he still works in your precint, I know his personal phone number he gave me."</p><p>"I said shut up!" Jake yelled.</p><p>Roger didn't back down "What, haven't told your little girlfriend about your dark past?"</p><p>"Stop!"</p><p>"Oh, when they find out, no one will look at you the same, I bet you still think about it...still run the face of your brother being rushed to the ER through your mind at night..."</p><p>Before Amy knew it, she was pulling Jake off his dad, who'd been given a swift punch and push. She didn't even have time to yell, she just threw Roger out the door and worked on calming down Jake.</p><p>"What the hell, Peralta? You're so lucky we're off duty!" She yelled at him, almost going to softly punch him</p><p>There came a noise that stopped her in her tracks "Daddy?" It was Freddie, the youngest, who was clutching onto his older sister. All the kids had creeped out from their rooms, all looking terrified and having large tears falling from their eyes. Jake softened immediately, skidding across the hardwood floor and wrapping his arms around them, tucking them all into his chest as if to avert their eyes from the past. He desperately looked up at Amy with tears in his own eyes, silently begging her not to even bring up what Roger had said. Instead of leaving, like he expected, she came over, wrapping her arms around him and the kids, and sat there in silence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Updates will be slower, but please do leave kudos and comments, they really help get me writing.<br/>Love,<br/>Jamie x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Jake and Amy have a moment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A lil bit of Peraltiago fluff added in for you shippers out there!</p><p>Johnny and Dora Episode coming soon...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone!<br/>Sorry for not updating; thankfully, my dad's made a full recovery from Coronavirus, and he's back to being healthy. I should be back to updating semi-regularly now, so that's one good thing!<br/>With that said, I hope you enjoy this long overdue chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amy didn’t have to stay, and she knew that, but it still warmed his heart when she didn’t leave. She helped put the kids to bed, she watched him as he told them a story, and cuddled up next to Fiona when he told it, looking at him intently as he spoke about the prince and princess. His heart skipped a beat when he realised that she would most likely know what his stories were based on.</p><p>Jake couldn’t help but freak out, though. He’d never let anyone near his kids without making absolutely sure that they wouldn’t leave. And he knew Amy, he knew that she was a good person, but it still made him uneasy, watching how fast the kids took to her.</p><p>Amy didn’t leave but invited him out to the landing, where they stood in the fresh air, a cover over their heads. He couldn’t help but watch her as she placed her elbows on the handrail looking out to the car park, and take her in like she was his last breath of air. The railing was still damp from yesterday’s torrential rain, but she didn’t even seem to care. He decided that if she didn’t mind, neither would he, and he walked to be next to her, bumping his hip with hers playfully, pointing to the baby monitor he still had for Freddie, who had frequent nightmares. She produced a pack of cigarettes from her back pocket and plucked just one out of the pack.</p><p>Amy looked at him guiltily “I thought it would be a stressful day, so I brought them just in case. Your dad really is something, huh?” She didn’t say that to pry, and he knew it.<br/>“Yeah, well, that’s dear ‘ol dad for you,” He said, before pointing to the pack of cigarettes. “Can I?”</p><p>She seemed taken aback as she got out her lighter and sparked it against her own roll-up “Sure. Didn’t know you smoked.”</p><p>He handled the cigarette like an expert, placing it between parted lips and taking her lighter as she let out her first puff of smoke, breathing it out slowly, “Yeah, well, only at parties. Plus, Fiona doesn’t like the smell, so I don’t around them normally.”</p><p>“Parties, right.” She said, “Just another thing I didn’t know about you.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>Amy sighed as he did the same, melting into the ashy fumes of the cigarette “Just…a few days ago, you were this dorky childish kid who solved crimes,”</p><p>“Hurtful but true” Jake interrupted</p><p>Amy continued, extravagantly waving her cigarette around “and now you’re, you know, this person who goes to parties and smokes, and is raising three kids alone. I don’t know.” She raised the cig to her lips again, trying to shut herself up. Jake hadn’t said anything, so she couldn’t stop herself saying more “You just seem different to me now.”</p><p>Jake froze, and his blood went as cold as ice. This was it, this was when she told him to stay away because she’d never date him with three kids pre-ordered. This was the part where she walked into the precinct tomorrow and told everyone in briefing; this is the part where she leaves him here with a half-smoked cigarette. “Good different?” he said “or…bad different?”</p><p>Amy looked at him sympathetically, with eyebrows furrowed “I’m not like those losers at your old precinct, Jake. You’re my partner, you can’t escape that easily.”</p><p>“Thanks. You really didn’t have to stay though, I’ve handled worse, trust me; one time Jackson shaved half of Fiona’s eyebrow off and I had to make sure I didn’t have to report a murder.”<br/>Amy giggled “I didn’t have to stay, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. Jake, you hit your own dad. And while he definitely deserved it…I’ve never seen you that angry.” Jake’s jaw set, but not in an angry way. He seemed almost ashamed. “And I don’t even want to go into what he said about that 2012 police report.”</p><p>“Then let’s not, right?” He pleadingly looked at Amy as she snubbed out her cigarette on the railing, “Let’s forget that piece of information, okay?”</p><p>Amy sighed as he drained his cigarette too, snubbing it out on the same place that Amy had, “I don’t know if I can, Jake.”</p><p>“Look, it’s in the past, that’s what matters.”</p><p>“Jake…”</p><p>“Can we talk about something else...please?” He said, avoiding where her gaze was. He knew it was pity, and he didn’t want any more of it. He hated seeing that look on people’s faces, especially when it was people he cared about.</p><p>Amy nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears “Yeah sure…um, any progress in the case…y’know, with Jackson and your dad?”</p><p>Jake shook his head “Nah. I don’t think it’s gonna go any further, though. The evidence we got given by the receptionist was good, like the video footage of him dropping drugs on the table to threaten her, but it wouldn’t hold up in court. Plus, it would mean revealing it was my dad, and then everyone would find out about the kids…it’s not worth it.”</p><p>“That sucks. Hey, at least we’re making progress on that identity theft case.” Amy knew the way to his heart was to bring out a case they were working on together, and this was one that they had been working on for ages, for so long that it seemed like it would never end.</p><p>Jake let out a small breath of amusement; he liked this, talking about cases without the pressure of everything else building on him. “Yeah, it would help if we knew who the buyer was, though.”</p><p>They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, but in reality, was only one. They spoke about everything after finishing all their possible work conversations and made sure that they didn’t speak once about the chaos Roger had brought into their lives like a drug-addled swearing tornado. There were moments where they didn’t even speak, looking for new topics, just happy in each other’s company. It wasn’t until he heard Freddie start to wail on the monitor that he sighed, and bid her a regretful goodnight, going into Freddie and bouncing him up and down with a small smile, pulling him into a hug before shushing him.</p><p>Amy poked her head through the window and waved before heading to her car. Jake smiled at her fondly “See her? That’s Amy. One day, I’m gonna ask her out, bud.”<br/>Freddie seemed to calm down at his dad’s voice, and Jake’s heart fluttered slightly, knowing that him saying those words out loud, even though just to his kid, made it real.<br/>Jake would ask out Amy Santiago one of these days, and, with some luck, she might just say yes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Make sure to leave a comment and kudos!</p><p>We're drawing closer to the reveal of what happened in 2012...leave your guesses in the comments!</p><p>Love,<br/>Jamie xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Case File 2012</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It’s the much awaited chapter, folks. Secrets and Lies spill out and a betrayal of trust is committed. How will Jake and Amy recover?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi all!<br/>This is a long chapter for you because I do realise how badly I’ve been neglecting this book. I’m back now, and hopefully for good. This is a little reward for sticking with me, the much awaited 2012 case. I apologise if this doesn’t exactly fit into the canon timeline, but oh well, that’s why it’s called fan fiction!</p>
<p>Jamie x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amy wasn’t an idiot, she knew what she was doing was wrong. Delving into files of her friends was bad, looking into their pasts was bad. She couldn’t shake that thought in her head though, the niggling feeling that kept her up last night.</p>
<p>What if Jake, the person she’d formed a not-so-platonic relationship with, was a criminal mastermind sitting on a coverup? What if he was the next person she’d arrest, what then?</p>
<p>She knew this was irrational. She knew Jake well, and Amy knew that being a criminal mastermind wasn’t something his energetic ball of light personality was capable of.</p>
<p>Amy tracked down every person who’d been a detective in 2012, ruled out everyone who had a close connection with Jake, because, if she was honest, if Charles didn’t know about the kids, he wouldn’t know about Jake’s shady criminal past—even if there was no criminal past to examine. She rifled through files on her computer, mentioning names and anything under “Peralta”.</p>
<p>She found a case assigned to Lohank—most of it redacted and censored like a old CIA file you see on dramatic TV shows. Why did it have to be Lohank, member of the depressing night squad, who was the only person authorised access to this file?Although she was desperate for an explanation, she didn’t know if she could go through a conversation with him, and how his life had spiralled out of control at the age of twenty.</p>
<p>So she dug around some more, this time in the evidence lockup. She looked through Lohank’s files from 2012, finally stopping on one that seemed to be Jakes. She shuffled the file out of its casing and took one fatal look at it.</p>
<p>The worst part being she had neglected to notice Jake, who’d just walked into the room to ask her a question about their upcoming case.</p>
<p>He looked guilty. Amy didn’t know how she looked. She hoped her inward negative feelings weren’t showing outwardly, but there was a small part of her that wanted to give Jake a piece of her mind. “I can’t believe you looked at that file.” He said, looking ashamed in himself and her as well. She could only find the courage to look at him with tears in her eyes. </p>
<p>“Child endangerment and possession?” Jakes eyes went to the floor.</p>
<p>Jake was calm, oddly so, but there was a tremor in his voice that gave away his true fears and emotions. “This is why I didn’t want you seeing it.” He said glumly “I wanted to explain my side.”</p>
<p>Amy took a step back when he went to approach her. Her gaze was stern and harsh “Interrogation room D. Now.”</p>
<p>With that she had stormed off, and Jake felt isolated from his everything. His chest ached and his body shook. He thought he was having a asthma attack, but that was ridiculous, he hadn’t had one in years. Jake wanted to curl into a ball, but found the strength to follow on Amy’s tail, too late to notice Charles meeting him at the lockup entrance.</p>
<p>“Oh, hey Jakey!” The man greeted him, smiling like Jake could do no wrong. But Jake had done wrong, and now, Amy was angry with him. </p>
<p>“Hey...Charles, I’ll talk to you later, bud.” He mumbled, patting his friend on the shoulder and leaving to interrogation room D. He’d hate to be late when he’s on Amy’s bad side.</p>
<p>They were both sat facing each other, Amy’s gaze more harsh and violent than Jake had ever seen her in an interrogation.</p>
<p>“I wanna start off by saying I was never found guilty. It’s a cold case to this day. They closed it officially little over a year ago.” Jake started, hearing Amy’s scoff.</p>
<p>“So what?” She said “it’s all ok? Jake, possession and child endangerment?!”</p>
<p>Jake raised his hands in a way he hoped seemed calming “Amy, Amy, please...let me explain.”</p>
<p>She nodded for him to continue, and Jake let out a shaky breath before reliving one of the worst nights of his life. December 13th, 2012.</p>
<p>A two year old Freddie, a four year old Jackson and a ten year old Fiona were all gathered around the gas hob as Jake places clean chopsticks in their chubby hands.</p>
<p>“Okay!” he said, face smiley and bright, but glazed over “here we are, marshmallows a’la Jake!” he placed a marshmallow on the ends of their sticks and turned the fire on, watching the blue flames dances as they poked their marshmallows into it. They laughed and waited for them to brown as Jake turned to the people around his kitchen table.</p>
<p>“Still on for tonight then?” One of them, the girl, Roxy, asked, her too-right red dress leaving little to the imagination, her black stiletto heels dangling off the countertop where she was sitting.</p>
<p>Jake nodded “yeah, who‘s bringing what?”</p>
<p>A guy, whose hand rested on Roxy’s thigh, Shifty, smiled wolfishly “Easy, JP, we might think you’re no longer crooked.”</p>
<p>Jake chuckled, but it wasn’t his chuckle. It wasn’t the one Amy knew; this was drained of all life, and was sad. His face was more skinny too, more pale and sunken from the cigarettes and booze. If this was party Jake, she was glad he’s gone. Party Jake seemed lost and depressed. “Nah, trust me man,” Jake slapped Shifty on the shoulder “if I was crooked, you’d be the first to know.”</p>
<p>This was a lie. Jake didn’t take bribes or beat up people for kicks. He didn’t become lenient to friends of friends; this was a fantasy constructed by those around him. The final man, Davie, shook his head “Mickey’s got some joints, and Adrienne said she’s found some blow. Might do somma that if it’s cool with you, JP, I mean it is your house.”</p>
<p>Jake didn’t feel as if he could say no. “Yeah, no, by all means. As long as my kids are asleep when they’re doin’ it.” He said, looking over at the kids, who were happily eating their marshmallows, backs turned to the adult conversation.</p>
<p>“You goin’ in on some, cause you’ll have to pay” Roxy asked him, not realising how quick Fiona had turned around. Jake sighed and turned to them.</p>
<p>He tapped Fiona on the shoulder “Hey, go get ready for your baths, ok, pumpkin?” </p>
<p>Fiona looked like she was about to object, and sure enough, she did “but I had one yesterday!”</p>
<p>“Now, Fiona!”</p>
<p>She grabbed her brothers and led them into their rooms as Jake leant in low to where Roxy was sitting. He slammed down the money he had in his pocket, twenty dollars, and slid it across the table. “I’ll take some joints. Might sneak a line in there if I feel like it.”</p>
<p>“That ain’t enough” Davie said, almost offended.</p>
<p>“Look, I’ve got three kids on a beat cop’s salary. We’re celebrating my promotion to detective, right? Lemme pay the rest later.” He asked, and the first man sighed and took the money. Jake sighed a sigh of relief and nodded his thanks.</p>
<p>The party was in full order. The kids were just about to go to sleep, so he would be able to let loose soon. For now, he left the drugs Davie and Roxy had gotten for him in their care. Not many of his real friends showed up to these types of things; it was mainly friends of the tight nit group he’d made over the last couple months.</p>
<p>The stereo was blasting music so loud that Jake knew tomorrow his ears would ring as loud as the music, but he didn’t care. Roxy was dancing with him, twirling around and throwing her arms up. It was fun and he smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in a long while. </p>
<p>His smile dropped when he heard Fiona scream, and as fast as he could, he raced to where she was cradling Jackson, face covered in white powder.</p>
<p>“Oh my god” Jake muttered, taking the boy into his lap “Oh my god, who left coke out?!” He asked the group who’d began to flee. Roxy stayed, bending down to pick up the bag that Jackson had taken. “What’re you doing? Call an ambulance!”</p>
<p>“And what? Have evidence here?” Roxy asked, throwing all drugs into a bag before taking off. “Look, I’ll call, but after that, I’m off.” Jake didn’t have the energy to respond as he made sure Jackson was still breathing.</p>
<p>“Fiona, take Freddie and go to your room.” He instructed in a very much broken voice. For once she didn’t argue, she only nodded and picked her youngest brother up. Jake knew Jackson didn’t have long, and it seemed like forever until the EMT’s arrived.</p>
<p>“Oh my god!” Amy sounded horrified “What happened after that?”</p>
<p>Jake’s eyes were teary “I told them it wasn’t mine. I lied and said I didn’t know about the drugs.”</p>
<p>“Jake...”</p>
<p>“Jackson was kept in the ICU for a day before being placed in a paediatric ward. He’s on seizure meds because of me, and I’m still paying off the debt.”</p>
<p>Amy shook her head “I don’t get it, why weren’t you charged?”</p>
<p>Jake bit his lip “because Lohank had conditions. They couldn’t prove I had the drugs, but they could claim I was negligent. The kids were in care for a week before I got them out. Lohank said they’d drop the charge if I told them everything about Davie and Shifty. They were the main dealers of the area. I told them about all my old friends, and they let me go, left it to a cold case. On the condition that I transferred to the 99. And here I am.” He said, slapping his arms against his sides sadly. “Now you know why I didn’t want you seeing that file.”</p>
<p>He walked out the evidence room, leaving Amy guilty and in shock. Jake Peralta’s secret past held so many demons that she couldn’t even begin to process without coffee. </p>
<p>So that would be her first peace offering—an apology for snooping.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Make sure to leave a comment and kudos!</p>
<p>Love,<br/>Jamie xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Fiona Makes Some Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the Johnny and Dora episode, with a few twists! Meanwhile, Fiona's making some new friends at school!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys, I wanted to put this at the start, just because I can't push it to the end, because it's too important. I took a few weeks so more attention could go to the Black Lives Matter movement, which I am in no way trying to take away from by writing fanfic about policemen and women.<br/>I want to stress to my audience of like 18 that this is a fantasy universe. Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago don't exist in this world of horrors. What's happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and so many other Black people all over the world is horrific, and it's not going to stop until there's significant police reform. As a white teenage girl, I'm aware of my privilege and I'm going to use everything In my power to make sure justice and reform is seen too. I know how it feels to be discriminated against, after visiting my girlfriend in her very conservative northern town and having abuse thrown at us. Black Lives, George Floyd's life, was worth more than a counterfeit $20 Bill.<br/>Please, sign the change.org links I've left at the end, and forever and always, ACAB.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fiona didn’t get to do the things her classmates could. They were allowed out on the weekends without monitoring, and her dad, being a cop, wouldn’t even let her out of his sight without a monitor around her ankle. Okay, maybe not literally, but it sometimes felt like it. That’s why she was so excited about her invitation to sit with Skylar and her friends.</p>
<p>Skylar was taller and older, only by a few months, but it made all the difference in the grade she was in. She didn’t read books like Fiona liked to do, and she wore makeup bright and pink, and Fiona hated pink. She had blonde hair with blue eyes, and her mom even let her put pink streaks into a few strands. She was awesome, and Fiona really wanted to get invited to her sleepover next week; her mom and dad were letting, like, fifteen people stay, and she’d only decided on ten. This was her chance to make some more friends, and she really wanted dad to say yes to her sleeping over.</p>
<p>Her friends were nice, and Skylar didn’t even notice she was there. She assumed that was good, because she added comments to their group conversation, and Skylar nodded along with a half-smile.</p>
<p>“Hey, did you hear that Carl kissed Mindy on the playground yesterday?” One of the girls asked, and the rest followed with various degrees of shock, looking at the accused girl.</p>
<p>She had a shocked look on her face at the first girl “Cara! You promised not to tell!”</p>
<p>Skylar gasped like this was the first bit of good news she’d heard “Really? Carl, the one who eats bugs?!”</p>
<p>“What? It’s better than Will L!” Mindy scoffed, as one of the girls let out a large shriek at her own exposure.</p>
<p>Skylar moved her eyesight towards Fiona, who had shrunk back in this conversation. She shifted her body so she was facing her, and smirked “What about you, new girl? Who was your first kiss?” all attention was sent to her, and she felt very small. Fiona hadn’t even been near a boy; well, except her brothers, but they weren’t the kind of boy these girls were talking about. Her only boy friend (not boyfriend, because that would be against Jake’s rules), was Grayson, but he moved away after living down the hall his whole life. They did everything together until his stupid mom got a stupid job in stupid Oregon and moved away from her.</p>
<p>“Um…I haven’t had mine yet.”</p>
<p>Skylar looked at her as if she’d gotten the plague, “You haven’t ever been kissed?”</p>
<p>Fiona tried her best to backtrack “Whaaat? Yes, yeah, obviously I have! I thought you meant…um, French kissing.” Skylar seemed to relax, suddenly more intrigued.</p>
<p>“So…who was it?” Cara asked, chewing her gum obnoxiously.</p>
<p>Fiona panicked and scrambled for a person that would never find out she’d used their name. “Uh…Grayson Robbins, but he moved away.”</p>
<p>Skylar seemed satisfied with this answer, and nodded, before quickly whispering into one of the girl’s ears, who giggled and nodded. Their actions made Fiona feel even more scared, terrified of her, almost. “Hey, I’m having a sleepover Friday. Wanna come?”</p>
<p>Fiona’s heart swelled “Uh, I’ll have to ask my brother.”</p>
<p>“You have to ask your brother?”</p>
<p>Mindy scoffed “That’s lame.”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh, I live with him and my other brothers. He’s a cop.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amy placed the steaming cup of coffee down right in front of Jake. He barely even looked up from his computer, typing in a few more words.<br/>
“Brought you a coffee.” She said, trying to pry conversation out of him. </p>
<p>Jake shook his head, “Already got one.” He raised his mug into her view.</p>
<p>“Oh,” She nodded “Hey, I just wanted to-”</p>
<p>Jake interrupted her, and Jake didn’t interrupt anyone. It was one of the things, despite teasing the crap out of everyone, he didn’t ever stop someone speaking their mind. “Gotta get to briefing.”</p>
<p>Amy stood by their joint desk in shock as he somewhat stormed away from her; she saw the same look in his eyes that he had that night he punched Roger. It wasn’t a good look on him, especially when he was known for being the cute-angry type. This was pure rage that he had repressed when he got back to the squad awaiting him in the room. All Amy could do was follow him and sit down in her regular seat.<br/>
Jake was standing in the briefing room, the face of the perp they’d been tracking for ages in the background. There was definitely tension around him and Amy, though; she didn’t look up from her desk at him, and he avoided eye contact with everyone like he was paranoid. Jake wasn’t going to let personal issues come between him and the job, though, even if he’d woken up to Jackson scribbling on his glasses in permanent marker. </p>
<p>“Okay, Nine-Nine, say hello to Michael Augustine, Brooklyn's most prolific identity thief. Last week, he walked into a government building and stole a computer containing over 100,000 social security numbers. My C.I. says that tonight Augustine will be handing off the laptop to a buyer from China, AKA the Land of Dragons.” Jake said with the falsest smile he could.</p>
<p>Captain Holt gave a short piece of advice “Make sure that phrase is not in your official report.” </p>
<p>Jake scoffed “Okay, sorry, The Country of Dragons.”</p>
<p>“I want you and Santiago to tail Augustine until he makes the drop, and then arrest him and the buyer,” Holt instructed, but Jake hoped no one heard the sharp inhalation of breath he took when Amy’s name was called.</p>
<p>“Sounds good,” Jake said, before biting down on his lip and suggesting otherwise “although I could probably just take Boyle. I know Amy has a ton of work, so...”</p>
<p>Amy just couldn’t let it lie, and interrupted “No, I don't.”</p>
<p>“Really? I could have sworn I overheard you telling Rosa, "Girlfriend, please. I got hella open cases."”</p>
<p>“That's something you think I said?” Amy asked him</p>
<p>Jake nodded through his uncomfortableness “Word for word. No diggity, no doubt.”</p>
<p>Holt seemed to be tired of their bickering, and placed a hand up to silence them both before the whole briefing became the Jake and Amy show, “That's enough,” He ordered “Peralta and Santiago will tail Augustine. Boyle and Diaz will join them in a surveillance van unless you have a problem with that.”</p>
<p>“Sounds great. In the immortal words of Amy Santiago, "Girlfriend, please."”</p>
<p>He slunk away into the break room, hoping that no one would come and find him. It was stupid, considering there were so many people that could enter the room, many would question why he was looking at a picture of three kids on his phone. He jumped out of his own skin when someone’s heels came clicking across the floor. Jake quickly pushed the phone back into his pocket, spinning around to meet the eyes of Amy.</p>
<p>“Hey, I know I did something awful to you, and you’re mad, but you have no right to keep me off this case!” Amy practically was yelling at him, and he couldn’t even think of what to say, so he stood gaping like a fish instead. </p>
<p>“What? I mean yeah, what you did was beyond a breach of my privacy and am I still mad at you? Yeah, but that’s not why I don’t wanna be on this case with you.” </p>
<p>“Oh, and I’m still really sorry about that, and I know you’re not going to forgive me right away, but I am sorry. But why, Jake?” Amy asked, wanting to reach out and touch him but also wanting to respect boundaries.</p>
<p>“All right, look, the reason that I didn't want to work with you is, well for one, the fact that you promised you wouldn’t look into my history and then did, but also...should I do this in an accent so that I can undercut some of the awkwardness I'm feeling?” Jake said, biting his lip and shifting around on his feet. </p>
<p>“No.” Amy replied</p>
<p>“Good call, Remember when you told me that you didn't want to date cops?” He switched to a Jamaican accent halfway through “That really bummed me out, man.”</p>
<p>Amy quirked her eyebrow “Jamaican?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, it was a bad choice. I'm much better at German.” He let out an exasperated sigh “All right, fine. I was kind of thinking about asking you out.” </p>
<p>Amy’s eyes widened but soon relaxed more “Oh, okay.”</p>
<p>“And I know that’s not what I want at the moment, because, you know, ultimate betrayal, but I know that that's not what you want too, and I totally get it. I think it just took me a while to totally-totally get it, and now I totally get it.” Jake said. </p>
<p>“Jake, this is weird.” Amy said, clapping a hand on her jeans and rubbing the sweat off them “The whole point of me not dating cops is so it wouldn't be weird at work.”</p>
<p>“Okay, so let's just make it not weird, right?” Jake told her, with a small look of sadness in his eyes “This is a case; we work cases together all the time, and we're really good at it, so, you know, we're professionals.” </p>
<p>Amy nodded “That's all I want, for us to be professional.”</p>
<p>“We're in agreement,” He switched to a German accent “It will be good and professional.”</p>
<p>The plan went down without a hitch. Well, it had a few minor issues, but all were resolved. The main, deep issue was that he’d kissed Amy, and then Amy kissed him. After the whole stink, he’d made about not wanting a relationship had led him right into a spiral of unknown desire. Plus, after Holt’s shocking and sudden departure, there was no one else he wanted to talk about all this with.</p>
<p>Jake decided that the best thing to do would be to find her, and that’s how he ended up in the evidence lockup.<br/>
“Hey.” Jake greeted her as she turned around and smiled. </p>
<p>“Hey” </p>
<p>Jake drew closer to her with a small smirk across his face “Thought I might find you in here.”</p>
<p>“I just needed to process the captain's news. I feel so bad for him.” Amy seemed shaky and nervous, even by her standards, which meant that she was definitely scared for the future Captain’s arrival. </p>
<p>“So how are you holding up?” He asked</p>
<p>Amy sighed “I don't know. I'm still in shock. You?”</p>
<p>“Um, basically handling it the way I deal with everything else; you get good at it when your mom’s a pill-popping psycho and your dad’s just about in the same boat; just repressing the hell out of it.” He gave a chuckle, even though both he and Amy knew the weight of his words hurt even after many years.</p>
<p>Amy advanced like she was on a chess square. Jake was drawn to her; he couldn’t help but lean towards her too. “So a lot of change around here, huh?” She asked, and before Jake could second-guess himself, he had wrapped his arms around her in the most passionate, please-stay-with-me kiss he could conjure, and hugged her tight. Nothing, not even his best dreams of this, the ones he didn’t take beyond the covers of his disgustingly cheap bed, could compare to the way her lips felt against his.</p>
<p>He finally drew back, watching her shocked face and trying not to smile like a massive dork. </p>
<p>“Hey, Jake, the new Captain’s here,” Boyle called</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor<br/>https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd<br/>https://www.change.org/p/department-of-justice-investigate-the-killing-of-tamir-rice<br/>https://www.change.org/p/us-senate-hands-up-act<br/>https://www.change.org/p/julius-jones-is-innocent-don-t-let-him-be-executed-by-the-state-of-oklahoma</p>
<p>Please sign these petitions for some justice to these innocent Black people killed at the hands of racist cops.</p>
<p>With that being said, here's the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Morning After</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the morning before the start of the rest of their lives, and Jake is going through his normal morning routine, with Amy now thrown into the mix.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi everyone, it's been a hot month since I uploaded, I've been a bit more active on my Tumblr, which you are free to follow if you'd like!<br/>My Tumblr is: @rosesunlight</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The coming days brought change and trials. Jake and Amy went on a date, the sitter Jake had hired hadn’t called claiming Jackson had burnt the apartment down, and everything was going pretty well, even though the conditions for being good in the Peralta family was very low. Even when Jake returned home with Amy after a few too many drinks, it felt normal, like they’d been doing this their whole adult lives.</p>
<p>The babysitter smiled as they returned, Jackson and Fiona sat in their pyjamas watching TV. His name was Andy; he’d babysat before for Jake, and the kids were just growing to trust him. He was glad that Andy actually stayed, most sitters spent one night with Jackson asking impossible questions and never returned. Andy liked his curiosity, though, and could probably handle him better than Jake could.</p>
<p>Jake spoke in a whisper “Hey!” He said, and the kids sleepily waved, not even moving from the couch. “Were they alright? Did you find everything ok?” He asked.</p>
<p>Andy ran a hand through his hair and nodded “Oh, yeah,” He said, “Once they had some food and watched some TV they quietened down.”</p>
<p>“And Freddie? He wasn’t a pain going down?” Freddie was notoriously awful at being put to bed. He’d scream and cry and fight to stay up longer, to be treated like his older brother and sister even if he was only four. He’d pull on his sandy blonde hair until Jake rocked him to sleep. Every other babysitter he’d returned home to had him on their shoulders, pawning him off as soon as he returned. The only other person he’d been compliant with was Gina, who had the same determination to put him to sleep as he did to stay awake.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah, he was a bit testy, but he had some milk and went down fine.”</p>
<p>Jake gave a gobsmacked look “Oh, right, cool cool cool, he…he does that for me too.”<br/>Amy stumbled around towards where the shoes were kept, having to sit on the floor to take off her heels. “Yeah, so I think that’s, what, 70 Dollars, did we agree on?” Andy said, and Jake had to physically learn to take a breath in again. He knew tonight was going to cost him a lot of money, but this would mean a lot more money coming out of the rainy day jar.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, uh, yeah, sure, lemme just go get…the seventy dollars.” Jake said, finger gunning Andy before turning back to Amy “Hey, Ames, can you put Fi and Jackson to bed?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure.” She said, trying her best to be quiet and calm in her inebriated state. She was also on four drink Amy, which meant he was really rushing Andy to be gone. Jake himself stumbled to the jar on top of the refrigerator, shaking it slightly. This was supposed to be rent, and thanks to Roger, there wasn’t much in there. His eyes landed on the cookie jar, and thanked all the superheroes he could name that he had Fiona in his life. She’d placed money in the cookie jar with a note.</p>
<p>“Dad,<br/>When Roger came back I realised we should have a backup plan, so I put half the money from the rainy day jar in here.<br/>Love,<br/>Fiona”</p>
<p>Jake sighed, taking out the right amount of money and handing it to Andy with a drunken smile. Andy took it, thanking him and making his own way out. Placing a hand to his head, Jake bit his lip, nerves about money growing in his head. Maybe going out was a bad idea? Babysitters in New York were expensive, if he and Amy were going to be sneaking around, they needed to pick times where they could inconspicuously drop the kids of with Gina, instead of hiring Andy the expensive all the time. If this was going to work, would he even have enough money to pay bills? Who knew dating actually cost money?</p>
<p>He immediately dropped any thoughts of anxiety as he peered into the kids room, where Amy was sat with them. The way the kids welcomed Amy, the way she scooped them up and placed them in their beds, kissing their foreheads drunkenly after Jake had done so, made him forget about money troubles and smile, looking at Amy and the kids with pure adoration. She even helped him move Freddie’s crib into Jackson and Freddie’s bedroom so they could have privacy for their first night together. </p>
<p>They hadn’t exactly planned to end up in this state on the first date. Well, Jake definitely hadn’t, he didn’t even expect this in his wildest dreams, but as soon as he turned to thank Amy, her lips were on his neck, leaving little love bites as she led him into his own room, shutting the door firmly, just so that they’d have warning if any of the kids waltzed in. His door often creaked when opened, and he had never been so glad for the faulty door than he did at that moment, where Amy was dragging him to bed.</p>
<p>This felt normal while also being so mind-blowingly different to Jake. He couldn’t believe he went all those years blindly pining for her, wishing he could be any person who got to be close with her. Now, he was the person he used to envy, and it felt amazing to worship her body. Jake was head-over-heels for Amy. Although, he wouldn’t admit this; admitting love, he had found, meant that the person was bound to leave sooner or later.</p>
<p>Amy let out a heavy sigh, looking over at Jake with a large smile on her face. Jake was staring up at the ceiling, working on bringing his breathing back to normal. He had just done that with Amy Santiago, his literal dream girl.</p>
<p>“So…” He said, “We broke a rule.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. I hope it wasn’t a mistake.” She said, still looking back at him with a fond smile, as if they’d been together for years. This felt natural.</p>
<p>Jake couldn’t help himself, the pun was right there “Hope it wasn’t a mistake, title of your sex tape.” He gasped “Title of OUR sex tape!” He said, Amy letting out a content giggle, drifting off to sleep. </p>
<p>Jake couldn’t keep still, he was buzzing, but for Amy, he tried to stifle his normal squirminess, wrapping his arms around her, and shutting his eyes before slowly succumbing to sleep, Amy tucked in his arms safely. He’d told Gina not to come round early, that he could drop the kids off at school by himself. </p>
<p>But, then again, when had Gina ever done what Jake had asked? She was stubbornly nice, especially when it came to the kids.</p>
<p>Jake’s alarm went off, blaring in his semi-hungover state. It was 7:15, as normal, but it somehow felt so much earlier now that he was wrapped around Amy. Luckily, he was of a sound mind to actually go into work and act normal. He threw his fist against the alarm, silencing it as he tried to move. He looked down softly to see Amy, still asleep against his chest, one leg thrown over his. He couldn’t help but smile fondly before shaking her awake. She coiled back into him, humming softly.</p>
<p>“Ames, c’mon, time to get up.” He said, his morning voice gravelly and deep.</p>
<p>Amy groaned “Free will, not doing anything.” She said, before Jake got up, putting an old shirt over his boxers, stumbling towards the kids room, where no one had stirred yet, as usual. He knocked, as he always did, peering into the room. All Jake could see of Fiona was a mop of curly brown hair, her button nose poking out from all her hair. Jackson was different, however, his blue eyes and smiley dimples already alert, his shirt for the day already half on.</p>
<p>“7:15, monkeys, rise and shine in the quietest way possible!” He said, making his way over to Jackson “No, bud, you can’t wear that to school, it’s got spaghetti on it!”</p>
<p>“It’s the only one that’s not in the wash, remember? You made me wash them all” He protested.</p>
<p>Jake took Jackson’s shirt from him and put it in the washing pile “Yeah, because I should’ve let you wash them in the soup Mrs Halpert from downstairs made us, c’mon, I’m sure the cycle’s stopped now, I’ll just need time to dry it.”</p>
<p>Fiona had grumbled, flipping her hair over her shoulder “You can use my hairdryer, Dad.”</p>
<p>“Noice, thanks, Fi, I’ll get the stuff out for breakfast.” Jake said, kissing her forehead as the daily race for the bathroom began. They both stared at each other before bolting out the room, rushing past Jake. Fiona got there first, and Jackson pounded on the door.</p>
<p>“Fiona!” He whined.</p>
<p>“Sucks to be you, squirt!” She had yelled from the bathroom, through the door.</p>
<p>Jackson let out an evil chuckle, “Well, fine,” He decidedly said, crossing his arms “Enjoy your shower, I’ll just be out here spilling Dad’s cooking oil on the floor.”</p>
<p>Jake decided this would be the time to intervene, so he peered out from the refrigerator, where he was scratching his head about the amount of milk they had left. “Hey!” He yelled, watching as Jackson looked up from where he had been camped out guiltily “There will be no spilling of any oils! C’mon, J, while you wait for her to be done, come eat.”</p>
<p>Jackson obliged, sitting down at the breakfast table and practically inhaling the bowl of cereal that had been placed in front of him, only stopping to tell his dad creepy facts that a six-year-old should definitely not know. “Hey, Dad?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“Did you know the average person walks past 16 murders in their lifetime?” He asked, and Jake smiled. “And you probably walk past a lot more, y’know, because you catch them.”</p>
<p>Jake let out a smile “Yeah, probably. Disturbing facts aside, Fi just got out the shower.” He said, before narrowing the corner to sort out Freddie, who had just began to stir. Once getting him out of his cot and changed, he noted the door to his own bedroom opened, Amy smiling at him.</p>
<p>Just as he thought she couldn’t get any more attractive, she’d walked out in one of his shirts, hanging just over her thighs. The breath knocked out of him almost immediately. She bit her lip nervously. “Is this alright? I couldn’t find mine.”</p>
<p>“Uuuh…yeah, yeah that’s super alright, better, even, that’s…wow, yeah, cool cool cool.” Jake stuttered, carrying Freddie to his highchair as she followed closely behind.</p>
<p>There came a knock at the door, and Amy gave a nervous look to Jake. “Hey, uh, Jake?”</p>
<p>“Yeah? Ok, Fredster, sit tight while I make your breakfast.” Jake cooed to Freddie, as another knock came.</p>
<p>“Did you tell Gina not to come over?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, why?”</p>
<p>“I think she’s at the door.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Be sure to leave Kudos and comments! I really do appreciate all the feedback you guys give!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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